How to boot directly into an application

Question

I have an application that I want to boot in directly when windows xp starts. So after that "welcome" screen I don't want to see anything and load directly into the app.

How can I do that?

I tried adding a exe file to startup folder. But he is loading some 2-3 thing and then my app and I see windows desktop normally.

Is it possible to load it directly?

It is a windows form application not an cmd.

Can you clarify the "But he is loading some 2-3 thing and then my app and I see windows desktop normally" part? — Chad Harrison, Jun 12 '12 at 16:18
I believe the OP means that 2-3 applications are loading before their app loads when the computer boots. They want just that one app to be the only thing visible when booting. — Kale Muscarella, Jun 12 '12 at 16:27
Yes that's correct Huskehn. I am loading a 2-3 application at boot time. and some thing are necessary to boot. But I want to boot directly to my app and then other app can boot after that. — user123_456, Jun 12 '12 at 16:29
@techie007 yes I need that but difference is that I need it for my program and not for browsers — user123_456, Jun 12 '12 at 20:40
possible duplicate of [How to load my program when Windows starts without a command console appears?](http://superuser.com/questions/435229/how-to-load-my-program-when-windows-starts-without-a-command-console-appears) – what is the difference? — slhck, Jun 12 '12 at 21:17

score 11 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 12 '20 at 13:48

11

Note: This will replace the whole Windows shell with your application. There will be no start menu, no task bar and no desktop.

One way to get it back, is to invoke Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Escape and start explorer.exe from there.

To permanently reverse this change, just start regedit.exe again and change the Shell key back to explorer.exe.

How to fully replace the Windows shell with another application

You can change the registry key

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell

to point to your application. Then it will be started instead of explorer.exe as the shell.

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edited Jun 12 '20 at 13:48

Community

1

answered Jun 12 '12 at 16:51

Oliver Salzburg

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Can I be using a teaviewer in the background? – user123_456 Jun 12 '12 at 17:05
If I will have some problem so I can connect to it? – user123_456 Jun 12 '12 at 17:05
@denonth: If TeamViewer is started as a service, yes, that may work. I don't know if the *regular* startup items are processed if `explorer.exe` doesn't run. – Oliver Salzburg Jun 12 '12 at 17:07
this is sort of kiosk mode? Have you tested this? are you sure I can go back if I try this on pc? – user123_456 Jun 12 '12 at 20:40
@denonth: Yes, I have made use of this on many occasions. We also regularly use this when we deploy computers at fairs, so they don't look too *windowsy* when they boot. And switching between shells has never been an issue for us. – Oliver Salzburg Jun 12 '12 at 20:45
so mobile internet, and all other things can be made behind that shell? I mean everything needs to be on automatic mode to be executed? – user123_456 Jun 12 '12 at 21:02
so where does my app needs to be installed in order to be called like explorer.exe? Do I need to put the whole path inside or? – user123_456 Jun 12 '12 at 21:06
@denonth: It's best to provide an absolute path to your executable. – Oliver Salzburg Jun 12 '12 at 21:22

How to boot directly into an application

1 Answers1

How to fully replace the Windows shell with another application

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